The present invention relates to a tablet feeder.
Conventionally, there has been provided a tablet feeder in which a rotor provided on a bottom of a tablet containing case is driven to rotate so that tablets contained in the tablet containing case are discharged. A tablet feeder having a plurality of tablet containing cases of different volumes according to size or usage of tablet is also known (See Japanese Patent Publication No. 63-50242).
In the tablet feeder, however, a heavy weight of the tablets contained in the tablet containing case of large volume may act on the rotor, preventing the rotor from smoothly rotating. Thus, as a motor for rotating the rotor, it is necessary to use a motor having a high driving force and high cost.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a tablet feeder in which a rotor can smoothly rotate to discharge tablets in spite of a large volume type of tablet containing case having a simple construction.
In order to accomplish the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a tablet feeder comprising a case supporting base and a tablet containing case removably mounted on the case supporting base, wherein a motor provided in the case supporting base is driven to rotate a rotor provided in the tablet containing case so that the tablets contained in the tablet containing case are held in pocket portions of the rotor and moved to a discharge passage provided in the case supporting base, whereby the tablets are discharged through the discharge passage, the tablets feeder comprising: a support portion provided in the tablets containing case and positioned above at least one of the pocket portions for preventing the weight of the tablets acting on the pocket portions from resisting the rotation of the rotor.
According to the construction above, even if the tablet containing case has a large volume and is in a condition that a large number of tablets are contained, as the weight of the tablets above the support portion do not act on the rotor, the rotation of the rotor can not be prevent.
It is preferable in that the tablets can be smoothly discharged for the support portion to have a residence preventing shape for preventing residence of the tablets on the support portion and allowing the tablets to be smoothly held in the pocket portion of the rotor.
In a preferred embodiment, the support portion may be formed between opposite side walls of the tablet containing case. In this case, the support portion may comprise two or more segments.
Alternatively, the support portion may be supported by leg portions extended from the bottom wall or the side walls of the tablet containing case. In this case, the support portion may have a doughnut shape. The support portion may also have a frust-conical shape. On the upper surface of the frust-conical shape of the support portion may be formed a brush portion. In addition, the support portion may be extended from one side wall of the tablet containing case to a portion above the discharge passage.
Preferably, the residence preventing shape may be a domed shape or an inclined shape.